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By KIMBERLY DAVIS [email protected]
Thursday, November 02, 2000 Page: 9A
A unique Halloween adventure took place at Lee Park Elementary School in
Hanover Township last week – twice in one day.
About 200 eager students in kindergarten through fourth grade enjoyed two
performances of the Sleepy Hollow Halloween Show, sponsored by the school’s
Parent-Teacher Association.
“Everyone sit right down on your bottoms. Chins up high. I’ll tell you
why,” recited Katrina Van Tassle, the enchanting storyteller who charmed
students and teachers into the drama, dance and merriment.
Van Tassle was played by Kitty Jones, an actress from East Stroudsburg who
performs over 340 one-woman interactive shows per year. Her original programs
for many occasions are called Kit’s Kaboodle.
Although she plays the roles of Pocahontas, Cinderella, and Mrs. Claus, to
this audience Jones was none other than Katrina Van Tassle, the character
created by Washington Irving in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
Her accent, costume and mannerisms made the character real. Her enthusiasm
was infectious.
The slight woman pulled her Ichabod Crane from the crowd. The sporting
supporting actor was Kyle Reed, a student teacher from Wilkes University. Reed
donned a three-cornered hat, a coat with tails and an alter ego.
From the group seated on the floor of the cafeteria, Jones first plucked
students Nicole McNair, Robert Conklin, David Gagliardi and Mark Speer. Each
played along willingly, illustrating the story with their actions.
A roar of laughter rose as first-grade teacher Catherine Gaughan was chosen
to play the role of Jack. In fact, each selection that Jones made, be it
faculty or student, was enthusiastically approved.
The young audience clapped, hopped on one foot, shouted, and curled up in a
ball when the story indicated, but Jones never once lost their attention.
The stage was decorated with pumpkins, brooms and ghostly faces, and each
item had a use in the program. The highlight of the show was a spirited broom
dance that took place in a spooky graveyard, or so you imagined.
The famed Headless Horseman, otherwise known as Brom Bones, turned out to
be Heather Shinkus, another student teacher from Wilkes University. Jones
ended the show with a question and an educational nudge.
“Who will Katrina Van Tassle marry, Ichabod Crane or Brom Bones? You’ll
have to read `The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ to find out.”